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<div>Chas wrote:<br><br>"Southern Baptists almost universally exclude women as pastors, as do Roman Catholics, and Mormons. No one spends much time criticizing St. Mary's."</div>
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<div>A very good point. I have made the exact same argument when discussing anti-Christ Church activism with several of the most vehement activists, and this point has been made numerous times on Vision2020. However, as has also been outlined over and over on Vision2020, the evidence that Christ Church and their associated institutions aim to expand influence in the community in a manner that St. Mary's is not, is there...They have a political agenda that St. Mary's does not, despite assertions to the contrary. This point can be debated, also... But St. Mary's has not attempted to establish a "university" in downtown Moscow, with evidence this was against zoning code and with a "wink" from certain players in government. Nor has St. Mary's expanded into the downtown with a national publishing business, such as Canon press in the St. Anselm building.
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<div>New Saint Andrews excludes those of other faiths from taking advantage of their educational offerings. Correct me if I am wrong. Name another institution in downtown Moscow that excludes offering their services to those of other faiths? St. Mary's, as far as I know, does not ban children of parents of other faiths from attending, though there is religious content presented that might bother the parents of other faiths. My sister attended St. Mary's school for the quality of the education, while my family was not at that time what you would call "devote" Catholics. Gonzaga in Spokane is a highly regarded Catholic university, and those of all faiths are welcome to enroll, and many faiths are represented there
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<div>I won't discuss in detail the book, co-authored by Doug Wilson, "Southern Slavery, As It Was," given how much the implications of this book have already been presented. But I don't think St. Mary's has a priest overseeing the flock that has presented views such as this about slavery, views that many find disturbing, holding events (Trinity Festival) in Moscow that bring to the community thinkers and writers that are regarded as "racist." Of course Wilson will say this has been misunderstood and blown out of proportion. But when I listened to the Black speaker from the NAACP, who spoke at St. Augustine's center on the U of I campus during the protests of the Trinity Festival, regarding "Southern Slavery, As It Was," as he quoted liberally from that book, in a fire and brimstone sermon styled denunciation, there is reason for concern. Readers comments at the bottom of this web page are interesting:
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<div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Slavery-Was-Douglas-Wilson/dp/188576717X">http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Slavery-Was-Douglas-Wilson/dp/188576717X</a></div>
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<div>Chas also wrote:<br><br>"If I believed that trading barbs with the Kirkers would suddenly make<br>them all switch to my modern point of you, then I would join Tom, and<br>J Ford, and others, tomorrow. However, it serves only to divide, with
<br>no healing in sight."</div>
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<div>Trading barbs is not the issue. I agree this is silly. I once on Vision2020 received "kudos" from Douglas Wilson, back when Wilson participated on Vison2020 (I am not joking. This is in the Vision2020 archives, though I do not have the time now to find it), for offering my explication of his religious views on the relations between the sexes on Vision2020. I attempted a sympathetic understanding, after I read some local press that seemed to misrepresent his thinking, and apparently Wilson thought I had achieved this, with some reservations.
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<div>We all know Christ Church as a right to exist and believe what they want, to freely practice their religion. And everyone who disagrees with their views on keeping women out of leadership roles (the Catholic church should allow women priests, and allow priests to marry), Gay's as grave sinners, and their political ideology, which they sometimes claim is not political (what ideological sleight of hand!), also has a right to speak out against them. I do not regard reasoned opposition to, or legal action against (the tax exemption and zoning law issues), a religious group trying to expand influence in a community as "trading barbs," when their views and economic power can shape the nature of a community.
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<div>Is Chas saying that activism to oppose Christ Church should be stopped?</div>
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<div>I support Tom Hansen's web site, "Not On The Palouse." </div>
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<div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse/">http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse/</a></div>
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<div>Chas, do you support Hansen's web site?</div>
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<div>Ted Moffett</div>
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